Old Town

It's been well over a decade since I last visited the town I grew up in. My formative years were spent in Cobh Co.Cork until we decided to settle in what has recently been called the "Nicest place to live in Ireland", Westport Co.Mayo. Having said that Cobh was a beautiful booming town once upon a time, and one that thrived on the seemingly never ending tourist trade that burrowed it's way into the economy. I can still recall as a child the ebb and flow of cruise liners and battleships that would take up residency in the deep water quay and swell the town, it's amenities and bank balances of local businesses. I have bright and very happy memories of my childhood there and recall the town as a community constantly on the up. Had that incline stayed the course perhaps it wouldn't be Westport on the receiving end of such a heady title. 

I'm not knowledgable on the specific details pertaining to what had afflicted the economy in ​Cobh and my intention isn't to paint the town in any other light than what I found it to be.  Having spent an hour on the skirting and town center it's clear that things have not remained stable for the commonality of the district. There are considerably more businesses shut and vacant premises in the town center than I ever recall seeing as a child.

That said, perhaps I was only focussed on the places that sold sweets and comics.

Anyway I had some spare time so I took a few photos between the train station in Cork City and getting to Cobh. These will seem largely insignificant and of little to no interest to most people but these are locations and avenues that all have specific meaning and residual of stories and situations which echo from childhood and my early teen years.​

Thanks for looking.​